II
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Section two.
As the raven soared, it eyed the passing trees below, searching for something with its keen eyes. As its ebony feathers glistened in the faint moonlight, the dense canopy of trees below became a still scene. Its wings beat rhythmically, effortlessly propelling it forward as it followed the path of the river.
It noticed something; a subtle commotion further ahead. In a small clearing, a group of figures had gathered, their voices carrying through the air. Intrigued, the raven adjusted its flight path and descended to a nearby branch, settling in as it observed the scene unfolding below.
There were five figures—a group which the raven was familiar with. Ada stood tall at the center of the gathering. Her sharp eyes focused on those around her as they addressed her. Fres had slouched down a few strides away under the drooping leaves of a forest tree, his eyes closed as he drifted off to sleep.
“We’ll only be staying here a few nights. In the forest, I mean. We can’t just rush through,” Ada said, reminding the group. She shared their sentiment. They wanted to leave quickly, but didn’t know how they would break the news to their higher-ups.
Finished addressing the group, she sighed and walked over to sit under a tree by herself. They would hunt in the morning. Though they were hungry, they couldn’t hunt while weary.
Rheela sat apart from the others, his eyes fixated on the distant horizon. He observed every bird that flew by with feigned interest; he was considerably restless and wanted to return home quickly, but Ada advised against it to the group’s immediate approval.
The two plump figures sat near Fres, their eyes strangely focused on the darkness that enveloped the forest ahead. “She’s been acting strange, right?” Raj asked his brother.
His brother, his blemished face nodding in agreement. “Since she came back. Ever since we took that hut down.”
Rheela soon came over, sitting next to the two as his eyes alternated between them and the sky above, nervously. “You two,” he asked, his voice uneasy, as if something would soon break free.
“Care to chat for a moment?” Hopeful, he looked into their eyes as he gestured over to Ada who was sitting with her eyes closed a distance away.
Raj, unsure if he should entertain the man’s ramblings, discreetly nudged his brother, making sure he was comfortable. Met with a nod, he turned his gaze to Rheela. “Sure.”
Rheela relaxed slightly, his back digging into the tree bark. “Hasn’t she been acting…” he began, before being interrupted by Raj’s brother.
“Acting strange? Yes. Why?” he said with impatience. The two weren’t keen on fostering a relationship with this group. They’d rather return as soon as possible.
Unnerved, Rheela continued. “Don’t you think it’s unfair? How she’s been treating us? Who does she think she is? She…”
As he continued speaking on Ada’s character, his voice began to rise gradually as his breath became erratic to the dismay of the two brothers. They turned their gaze over to Ada and the rest. Her eyes were open, glaring at them.
A ‘caw’ sounded from a nearby tree, echoing as the two brothers began urging Rheela to stop speaking. Time seemed to freeze as the group fell into an unsettling silence. Ada’s piercing gaze locked with Rheela’s, challenging him to question her again.
Rheela kept his gaze forward, slightly sideward of her stare. Suddenly, he turned to the two beside him.
“It’s not only me! We’re sick of your act, we’re not your dogs!” He shouted towards her as his eyes finally locked with hers. Standing up, he began walking toward her with unsteady strides. “You think just because Hugh’s dead that you can take over? What right do you have?” His steps grew more assured as he walked closer, now just a few feet away. Ada stared up at him with crossed arms, as if daring him to come any closer.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Rheela’s steps halted as he thought on a more piercing string of words. As his eyes centered on her, a smirk grew on his face. “You only got to tag along because of your father,” he said, taking a step closer and leaning down. “My, my. If you weren’t his daughter, I’d…”
Before he could finish, he heard a host of steps rushing toward him from behind, interrupting his train of thought. He felt something trip him, causing him to fall backwards onto the grass as a foot stepped on his neck. It was Raj’s brother.
“Ron, you weaselly…” Rheela began, cut short as Ron’s foot pushed further down onto his neck.
“People need rest, Rheela. I don’t care how you feel,” he said apathetically, lifting his foot after a while and walking back toward his brother.
“Thanks,” Ada said, turning away from Rheela and closing her eyes again. There was no response from Ron.
Left lying on the ground as the wind blew his hair wild, Rheela’s anger only began to seethe once more. He was humiliated, and as his eyes frantically observed the constellations above, he decided that he wouldn’t take it easily. Through his clenched teeth, he uttered “You people… Really…” Struggling to get his words together as his teeth clenched together, he burst out into another episode.
“Do you think I won’t report this to the council?” he muttered, picking himself up with his arms. “I’ll teach you a lesson before we get there…”
Immediately, he lurched toward Rheela with a grasping motion, aiming to capture her neck in his hands. Her eyes snapped open and she moved immediately, grabbing his arms and swinging him against the tree behind her as she stood up.
With a crack, Rheela’s side bounced off of the tree with a groan. Anger welled up within him, but Ada had already started on restraining his legs as well. Feeling trapped, he lurched his head forward and opened his mouth. He intended to bite her.
Alarmed, Ada squinted her eyes and moved her hand, which was still grabbing Rheela’s arm, toward his neck. As she pinned him to the tree, she let out a breath and addressed him.
“I urge you…” she commanded, “I urge you to take a rest.” Her eyes conveyed a completely different meaning as they narrowed, taking in his every motion. He still struggled, but his movements were beginning to weaken. As he watched the group members around him turn away again, his will to fight left him.
Pushing off of the tree and swatting Ada’s hands away, which had already let go, he stumbled over to a lone tree and sat on the opposite side of it. Ada’s eyes followed him along, making sure he was asleep as she began walking out of the vicinity.
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The raven hopped from branch to branch as it observed her solitary walk, eventually leading her to a stable enough tree, where she began to climb. Finding her perch, she searched for a comfortable position and tried to fall asleep as she observed the stars above. She tried to calm her racing thoughts; to surrender under the weight of her eyelids.
As she settled down under the tree leaves, the moon cast a gentle glow over her. She closed her eyes, letting her mind drift into the realm of dreams.
Her slumber brought her to a time long past, transported to her childhood. She was a young girl, but she’d been worried recently due to her duties. She had to prepare herself for the ceremony. She stood at the center of a vibrant tribe, surrounded by the eager eyes of her people. Cradled in her arms was a baby boy, the heir.
Whenever she looked at him—whenever she looked at her younger brother, a warmth enveloped her. She knew that he was depending on her at every step. With each step towards the pedestal at the heart of the village, the weight of the child in her arms seemed to increase. But determination fueled her steps. The prosperity of their tribe still rested firmly on her shoulders.
She was meant to bring him to the pedestal—an act symbolizing his rise to become tribe leader in the future. He had shown every quality yearned for in a leader since his birth. If there were any mishaps, she would be punished severely, but all she felt was a sense of gratitude at being given the opportunity.
As she reached the pedestal, she lifted her arms to place him high onto the wooden mantle ahead, but what greeted her eyes was not his plump cheeks, but a vile liquid. It was dark, like a sky devoid of stars. In its pitch, she felt a bubbling which reached into her core, instilling a horror she rarely felt. It coursed down through her veins and pervaded her body with fear as the world around her dimmed eerily.
The child was gone, vanished into the void. Bitter anguish consumed her, seeping from her arms to her torso and legs in the form of a viral corruption, tainting her skin a horrible shade. It began spreading through the village, akin to a shadow. All were covered and none were spared.
Horror gripped Ada’s heart as she watched the darkness swallow everything it touched, extinguishing the light of life that once thrived. Powerless to stop it, she was overwhelmed by a feeling of failure and loss as the weight of it all pressed down upon her.
And then, she felt herself rising. The bubbling liquid blanketing the village began to seep into the air like blood into water, rising steadily. Her fear ballooned as she rose, the village’s form clarifying in her vision. She could see now, the liquid formed the shadow of a palm that planted the village in its center.
Heaven’s grasp had finally descended.
With a gasp, Ada jolted awake, her heart pounding in her chest. Beads of sweat clung to her forehead as she tried to steady her rapid breaths. As the details of her dream clarified in her mind, her pupils dilated. Immediately, she balanced herself and knelt atop the shaky tree branch, bringing her hands vertical in front of her face in a prayer.
Her brows furrowed as she recited heartily, her visage darkening in potent fear. She rarely remembered her dreams. Though she had nightmares, they never presented themselves with such clarity. She felt as if the sky had remembered her sins, every mistake, and was reminding her of her purpose.
As she finished, she sat in the darkness, slowly regaining her composure. She knew that she had to shake off the dream’s effects. She had to lead her team home.